Middlesbrough have made a lot of signings over the past year but George Boateng believes Tony Pulis may be the club's best acquisition.

The Boro boss has achieved a top six finish inside five months and can now plan for a Championship play-off semi-final against Steve Bruce’s Aston Villa.

Boateng, who has played for both clubs, is a big fan of former Stoke and West Brom manager Pulis and backs him to keep Middlesbrough in the Premier League if he gets them there, whether it’s this season or next.

“I’ve always said from the start it’s a tremendous achievement for Middlesbrough to get a manager like Tony here because if you look at his record and look at the clubs he’s left - as soon as he leaves the clubs seems to go down,” he told the Gazette.

“Stoke the same, it happened with Crystal Palace, so for Middlesbrough to sign Tony Pulis was one of the best transfers they’ve done in the last 12 months.

Middlesbrough v Athletic Bilbao

“I’m not one of those that is going to give my verdict on Tony Pulis in just six months,” he added. “Because I know how tough it is for any manager to come in mid-season, there’s so much you have to change and I know this is not Tony Pulis’s team. But he’s doing his best with what he’s got.

“In the summer there will be a few changes. There’s a lot of interest in (Ben) Gibson, and there will be a few changes and then I think we will probably see the best of Tony Pulis’s management.

“And the good thing about it is, because he’s managed already in the Premier League, once Middlesbrough achieve promotion, it’s not necessary that they have to get rid of Tony Pulis.

Read More

“What happens a lot with other teams is you have managers who are great in the lower divisions.

“Once they get up to the Premier League they can’t cope with the standard. It’s the same with players. Some players are great in the Championship but when they go to the Premier League they can’t cope.

“So this is why I think the signing of Pulis has been a smart one, a good one, for the club for the long term, so next season, even if they don’t get up this season, the fans shouldn’t be too disappointed.

Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis

“And they should think they are going to build now for the next 12 months to get up anyway.”

Boro paid Aston Villa a reported £5.5m for Boateng in the summer of 2002 and he stayed for six successful years, winning the Carling Cup, playing in the 2006 UEFA Cup final and wearing the captain’s armband.

When it comes to assessing which of his old teams will progress to the play-off final at Wembley, the 42-year-old admits it’s a hard one to call.

He also believes it would be far worse for Villa to miss out this time around than it would be for Boro.

“With Middlesbrough, the fact that they got relegated, they got a new manager, the continuity is not there,” he begins.

“Villa has slight advantage over Middlesbrough, Fulham has a slight advantage over Middlesbrough, so this is why I am saying the expectations shouldn’t be so high for Middlesbrough.

“But, obviously, if you make the play-offs and you get to the final, the final is the toss of a coin, so anything can happen in the play-offs.

Read More

“But based on the season, and form, and the players that the teams have, Villa have to get up this season , I think that if Villa don’t get up this season, I think that we might not see Villa in the Premier League for a long, long time.

“Financially it will be a big problem for them but also trying to attract players to Villa again will be even harder. They have players there that if they don’t make it, they will also be looking to leave, like Jack Grealish, (Jonathan) Kodjia is still there. So they have players to win but they have to deliver because it’s either up or under for Aston Villa this season.”